Hard Time Keeping Eyes Open in Dreams

I have had several dreams where I have had a hard time keeping my eyes open.

It is kind of a hard feeling to express... Imagine being so tired that you simply must close your eyes, but somehow having the energy to struggle to keep them half open. The only difference is that I really don't need to sleep in my dream and I am still going about tasks extremely difficultly and sometimes even telling people that I can't see very well. Occasionally, however, I still have to close my eyes and focus to be able to continue whatever I am doing in the dream. (I can go about details surrounding the dreams if need be).

This phenomenon usually happens to me when I fall asleep after failing my goal meditating; which usually is, unfortunately, to AP. I feel this may be important because I have read on dream interpretation websites that I am refusing to accept something; possibly some truth.

In the past I have had much more success meditating with the goal of APing. I have experienced vibrations on two occasions, but got too excited and lost them. Lately I can barely even lose consciousness over my feet/hands…

I’ve been interested in APing for a long time and I have several sites on favorites with very good advice – including some threads on ATS. Unfortunately, I have this problem where my motivation to do stuff is relative to the amount of time/pressure I am under. I hate time restraints and pressure, yet I seem to only be able to do stuff important to me – that take reading or memorizing – when I am under it.

Anyone have any advice?

Sometimes I feel bogged down in a dream, like in slow motion. I have to run away or towards something, but have trouble moving. Probably something similar.

I would try to actually see something (the eyes will follow suit if you have a decent focus on your goal), not try to pry my eyes open, this tends to work best for me, but it's still not the easiest thing to overcome. But yea, try to focus on what you are trying to see, instead of attempting to pry your eyes open through effort.

I remember a long time ago this was becoming a common occurance in my dreams, but it passed. Nowadays it happens very rarely. Last time it happened I remember I was dreaming that I was driving a car and really really wanted to get my eyes open so I could see the road better, now that was not fun! I didn't know I was dreaming though, and I went off a cliff in the dream, rofl.

The problem is if you don't know you are dreaming, you are kinda screwed and you're just going to naturally try to get your eyes open through effort... But if you know you are dreaming, you can either shut your eyes knowing you are safe, or you can think about and focus on what you are looking at, instead of your eyes.

[edit on 28-3-2007 by Novise]

ive had a dream i was walking on the beach my eyes there were so drousy